Going abroad is arguably one of the best college experiences. If you’ve talked to me over the past few weeks, I’ve probably mentioned my time in London at least four or five times…within only the first minute or two. One of my fondest memories of my time abroad was traveling alone. I didn’t realize it at the time, but going to a new country by yourself is actually a pretty big deal, in fact, a lot of people have told me they wished they’d traveled alone.
In all honesty, I went on my trips alone because I didn’t have anyone to go with. My friends wanted to go to different places, and I didn’t want to sacrifice seeing cities I’ve dreamt of forever just to be with friends (sorry not sorry.) I traveled alone throughout the UK, Amsterdam, Paris, and Zurich—and I had a blast. If you’re currently abroad, or considering going in the coming semesters, heed my advice and travel alone. Just do it.
1. You learn a lot about yourself.
I lived in a really cramped flat in London with 7 other girls; personal space was just not a thing. I was only able to relax, when I finally got my alone time with me, myself, and I. When I was by myself, I spent a lot of my time writing poetry (something I unintentionally neglected), so I had a lot of time to ruminate on my life and do things that I love.
2. You’ll meet new people.
I stayed in Airbnbs during my Paris and Amsterdam trips, and they were awesome. I had a flat to myself in Paris, where my host left tons of recommendations for restaurants and tours. In Amsterdam, I stayed in a nice bed and breakfast, where I met another girl traveling by herself. She and I teamed up for a couple of hours and explored the city. Staying in hostels also gives you an opportunity to meet new people, but when traveling alone always keep your guard up.
3. You’ll stay away from drama.
While everyone on my program did a huge trip to Italy and Spain, myself and a couple other students stayed behind and did our own thing. And after comparing stories, I can honestly say that those of us who went on solo trips had a better time. If you’re in a program where you’re living in tight quarters, solo trips are the perfect escape. It’s nice to get away from the real world and transport yourself into a different reality. It also gives you and your roommates a chance for some breathing room to cool off and regroup.
4. You can do things you actually want to do.
Sticking to an itinerary is probably the worst thing you could ever do. Having a full day scheduled, all the way down to bathroom breaks, is just insane. While you might have a list of certain things you want to see or experience in a city or country, do something spontaneous. My first day in Paris, I jumped on a random metro train and ended up at the Bastille. I wandered around and found the Eiffel Tower. It’s nice to see tourist attractions, but be sure to take a leap of faith and get lost in the city for a bit. You won’t regret it.
5. It’s cheaper.
Going abroad really breaks the bank—espeically with those pesky conversion rates. Sometimes it’s cheaper to book a plane ticket and hostel room for one than for two, three or four. You also won’t have to worry about being with friends whose budget may be smaller (or bigger) than yours. If you’re in Europe, you’ve got luck on your side: train tickets are fairly cheap, if you book at the right time. You could take a day trip to another city in the same country and still get back before midnight.
6. It’s scary.
I think what really attracted me to traveling alone was the unknown. Going to a foreign country by yourself is probably one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. I didn’t know any French, Dutch, or Swiss-German when I visited different countries, and I am still in shock that I was able to navigate them by myself. Solo trips force you to grow up; no one is helping you with your luggage and no one is checking that your passport hasn’t been stolen.
While I’ve tried to capture the essence of traveling alone, I don’t think you can fully understand it unless you’ve done it. While being alone is sometimes frustrating and (obviously) lonely, I really enjoyed my time. I loved sitting on trains and listening to music while I wrote poetry. I loved getting to a new city and just wandering around for hours on end. Taking a solo trip is completely nerve-wracking and scary, but the experiences are something you should not miss out on.